This chapter is unique for me in that it is written SOLELY from Dick's point of view. You will only get his thoughts and his perspective on what is going on in his world.

Chapter 10: Dick's Perspective

******Sunday Morning******

Dick had slept poorly. Anger at Trina and his friends had kept him up. It both hurt and annoyed him that Mac, who wasn't just his girlfriend but his business partner, would keep Trina's plans from him. It was like she and Logan had formed this duo that he was only allowed to be part of when they decided it was right. He resented the hell out of the implication. Sure, he wasn't as smart as they were, but he really thought that they were the two people in the world who really saw him. The two people who knew he was more than a pretty face. Of course, deep down Dick knew it wasn't really them he was upset with but the situation. He'd never spent much time around babies. Lily hadn't been a baby when Duncan had returned with her. However, little Richie was special. Not just because he was named after Dick, but because he was theirs. Of course, Dick knew he was Trina's, but Dick had been there the day he was born and nearly every day since. Dick couldn't imagine not seeing little dude whenever he wanted. He had lost Cassidy before he had ever learned to appreciate him. He hadn't planned on repeating any of the same mistakes with Richie. The thought of Trina moving and taking him to the other side of the freakin' planet (it may as well be) pissed him off and scared him the hell out of him. Richie was just a baby. He'd forget all about Dick if he didn't see Dick all the time. It wasn't like they were blood related or real family. He had no real claim on the little dude. The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. Having it out with Trina in the middle of the night probably wasn't the best idea. But he felt like he would explode if he didn't. He wasn't proud of what he'd said to her, but he wasn't exactly sorry either.

When he woke up the next morning after only a few hours of sleep, he knew surfing would do what it always did—put everything into perspective. He decided to focus on what he could control—his board and the waves. Having his housemates join him made it better. He got such a kick out of dragging Weevil to places he didn't want to go. Not only was it a personal goal of his and funny as hell, but he had come to appreciate the former PCHer's sarcastic wit. When Mac joined them, it only made it better. He knew it was a dick move not calling her after they broke the news about Trina to him. She'd called and texted, but he hadn't felt like talking. He was paddling out when she made an appearance at the beach. He waved at her from his board, and she blew him a kiss. His Mackie wasn't one to hold a grudge or get her panties in a twist over an unreturned phone call. He was so much luckier than Logan. The poor sap had the misfortune to fall for the biggest ball-buster on the planet!

Weevil would only agree to paddle out with him. They sat a moment on their boards, the beauty of the ocean washing over them.

"The view ain't half bad," Weevil said grudgingly.

Dick grinned at him. "The ocean is the most amazing thing on Earth. It can make you its bitch, though, if you're not careful!" he said as he began to ready himself to catch his first wave.

"Why do you think I'm sitting on this board?" Weevil said with a snicker. The last time they'd come he felt like he swallowed the ocean. The waves had beat him senseless that day.

Dick laughed and paddle away to catch his first wave, leaving Weevil to enjoy his view. The first wave was always the best. The thrill of it never ceased to amaze him. He made it back to Weevil after several minutes. Then a huge wave came out of nowhere and knocked them both off the board they'd been sitting on. He came up laughing as Weevil coughed up water.

"Ah, I hate when that happens!" Weevil complained.

"Suck it up!" Dick said with a laugh. He paddled back out, undeterred.

He was flying high. He'd caught his first wave and life finally made sense again. He was in the zone, and he felt great. All his worries faded away as water cascaded around him. Things always seemed to make more sense when he was riding a wave. However, something happened that disturbed his tranquility. A stabbing pain hit his chest so hard that he lost his breath. Then the pain spread, and he lost his balance. His body hit the water hard. He swallowed some water as he fought his way to the surface. The pain was going through him like a wave, and he struggled to keep his head above water. He pulled his board to him, using it to stay afloat. Dick was relieved to see Weevil making his way toward him.

"Are you okay?" Weevil asked, grabbing him and pulling him up against him. He started swimming toward the shore, dragging Dick with him.

"It hurts!" Dick gasped. He couldn't believe how much.

"A bad leg cramp?" Weevil speculated.

Dick shook his head. "No. My chest. God! I think I'm dying!" Dick said, fear in his eyes. His right arm was numb like they always said during a heart attack. The pain was excruciating. Oh, God!

Weevil frowned. "You're too young to be dying," Weevil said. "We'll get you to the doc. You'll be fine," he told him.

Dick held onto his words. Of course, he was too young to die—at least from something like a heart attack. He pushed memories of his brother's too sudden death out of mind. Cassidy had chosen to die; Dick would never choose death.

Wallace made it to them and put Dick's other arm around his shoulder and helped pull him to shore. Dick wanted to thank him, but he couldn't seem to speak. His body seemed like it belonged to someone else and wouldn't do what he wanted. He'd never before felt so helpless.

Mac made it to their side. "Are you okay? What's wrong?" she asked fearfully.

Dick wanted to reassure her. He hated to see her upset, but he couldn't find the energy to speak. The pain seemed to be everywhere. There was no escape.

"I think he may be having a heart attack," Weevil said. "He says his chest hurts really bad."

"What?" Mac asked in disbelief. "That's insane!"

Dick gasped as another wave of pain hit him, and he finally lost consciousness.

He was conscious again as they loaded him into the ambulance. Mac's eyes connected with his, and he saw her fear. He wanted to ask her if he was dying. He was afraid, too. Terror kept him from voicing his fear.

Mac got into the ambulance with him, refusing to leave his side. "I'm here, Dick. You're going to be just fine. It's okay," she told him, murmuring reassurance. She took a sit near him as the ambulance moved.

He didn't really remember the rest of it, but he knew Mac was there. Then he felt himself being moved out of the ambulance. He saw the bright lights from the hospital above and knew that he was being taken to get help. The knowledge filled him with relief. The rest of the time was a blur. Faces appeared above him, murmured voices. Eventually, there was blessed numbness and then oblivion.

******Several Hours Later That Day******

When Dick woke up again, he didn't know how much time had passed. However, Logan and Mac were both there. Their anxious expressions and relief at his consciousness clued him in on how serious it was.

"You're awake!" Mac said, smiling. "You scared me half to death!"

"How do you feel?" Logan asked.

Mac grabbed his hand. Logan went around the bed, so he could stand on the other side of the bed.

"Can I have some water?" Dick asked. Logan grabbed the tray it was sitting on and rolled it over across the bed. Mac helped him move the bed up. His head swam.

"God, I feel like I've been run over with a truck. What the hell happened?" Dick asked. He tried to raise his hand to grab the water and discovered his arms felt like noodles. "I'm as weak as a kitten!"

Mac helped him with the water, and he gave her a grateful look. "Thanks, babe," he said.

"You had a mild heart attack," Mac revealed.

"No shit? I really did?" Dick asked. He couldn't believe it. "I didn't know guys my age had those."

"Well, the doctor said you have a medical condition that you should've known about that caused it," Logan shared.

Dick gave them a confused look. "Huh? What medical condition? I got a physical before school started. I was just fine," Dick said.

"The doctor will come by, I'm sure, and explain it to you," Mac said. "But he said you have a condition called HCM. It's a genetic mutation that causes the heart muscle to thicken and eventually stop pumping blood."

"What's a genetic mutation? Like the X-Men?" Dick asked with a hopeful smile.

"Yeah, you're going to develop a third eye and the power of teleportation," Logan said dryly.

Dick blinked a moment, considering it. Then he chuckled. "Dude, how cool would that be? Well, not the third eye, but teleporting would be awesome! I'd never be late to class!"

"HCM is something you inherit," Mac explained. "I did some research. HCM stands for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. HCM is much easier to remember!"

"And spell," Logan added, grinning.

"Am I going to die?" Dick asked anxiously. He'd never been sick before. He didn't understand how he could be fine one moment and not the next. How could he be sick and not know it?

"No! You are not going to die!" Mac vowed. "But you will have to make some changes. This disorder is caused by an abnormality in your DNA."

"Really?" Dick asked, with a frown. "If this is genetic, shouldn't I have heard about it from my parents or something?"

"Yep," Logan said, popping the P. He looked more than a little annoyed.

Dick didn't have to have Logan say any more. He could read his mind, and the opinion Logan had of his mom was obvious. Dick's mom was pretty neglectful. She hadn't even come in for Cassidy's funeral. It wouldn't surprise Dick at all to find out she had passed this on to him and didn't think to warn him. She was definitely not in contention for mother of the year. Then again, Dick Sr. wasn't much better.

"The condition isn't that rare. It affects 1 out of every 500 people," Mac added. "But you got the gene from one of your parents."

"The gift that keeps on giving," Logan said with a smirk.

"That's messed up," Dick said even though he knew Logan had a point.

"You can have the gene but not develop the disorder. One of your parents may not even know if they have the gene since they've not developed the disorder," Mac explained.

"But I have the disorder, right?" Dick asked, hoping he'd find out it was a bad dream.

"Unfortunately," Mac said.

"What else did you find out about it?" Dick asked, knowing she probably knew as much as the doctors by now.

Mac looked at Logan as if asking for permission. Dick felt queasy. It must be pretty bad if they weren't sure they wanted to give him the details.

"Read what it says on your phone," Dick ordered. He didn't want them to treat him like a kid. This was his life. Hell, it was his damn body.

Mac looked unhappy but reluctantly complied with his request, getting out her iPhone. Dick was not surprised that she'd bookmarked a site.

She read, "Many people with HCM live a normal life and do not experience health-related problems. Other people with HCM may develop heart conditions that shorten life or decrease the person's quality of life, including sudden cardiac arrest and sudden cardiac death. Sudden cardiac arrest is a sudden loss of heart function caused by a dangerously fast heart rhythm called ventricular tachycardia. Unless emergency treatments, including CPR and defibrillation, are initiated immediately after the onset of symptoms, sudden cardiac death can occur. Most people with HCM have a low risk for sudden cardiac death. However, HCM is the most common cause of sudden cardiac death in people under age 30. HCM may be best known for its role in cardiac arrest and subsequent death in some young professional athletes. Symptoms associated with the presence of ventricular tachycardia or heart failure include chest pain or pressure that usually occurs with exercise or physical activity, but also may occur with rest or after meals. Shortness of breath and fatigue, especially with exertion. These symptoms are more common in adults with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and are most likely caused by a backup of pressure in the left atrium and lungs. Syncope (fainting or passing out) may affect HCM patients. Syncope with HCM may be caused by irregular heart rhythms, abnormal responses of the blood vessels during exercise, or no cause may be found. Palpitations (fluttering in the chest) due to abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias) such as atrial fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia. Atrial fibrillation occurs in about 25 percent of those with HCM and increases the risk for blood clots and heart failure."

Dick's eyes widened the more she read. Now a sense of panic was coming over him. "Death? It will kill me?" he asked, giving her a look of fear.

"It said can cause death. Lots of things can cause death. Doesn't mean it will!" Mac insisted.

"It says 'a low risk of death' with most people," Logan pointed out.

"It also said the most common cause of death for people under 30! I'm under 30!" Dick said, a note of panic in his voice.

"Well, it won't be you," Mac said flatly.

Dick knew his lover well enough to know how upset she really was right now. He tugged on her hand and pulled her down next to him. The need to reassure her eclipsed his own fear. "Don't worry, babe. I'll be fine," he assured her. He kissed her. When she smiled at him, he finally felt better. As long as he had her, he could deal with anything.

*****The Next Day*****

Dick woke up after a night of little rest. The nurses seemed to be in there all the time waking him up. He was ready to go home. Mac hadn't wanted to leave his side the night before. He finally got Daisy to drag her home for some rest. His friends all came him to see him and left. The nurses hadn't been happy with the constant flood of people, but since he wasn't in ICU, there wasn't much they could do. There was a knock on his door, it opened to reveal his second favorite girl.

"Dickie!" Lily yelled. Duncan was holding her hand, but she managed to pull away and run to Dick's bedside. "I'm sorry you're sick. Daddy says you're gonna be okay. Do you want me to kiss you and make it better? That's what Daddy does. He could kiss you and make it better, too."

Dick and Duncan both laughed. "I think I'd much rather get a kiss from a pretty girl like you," Dick said, winking at her. She smiled and climbed up onto the bed and kissed him.

"Wow! I feel much better already," he told her with a grin. He helped her move so she could snuggle against him without pulling out any of the wires attached to him.

"So how are you feeling?" Duncan asked.

"Much better than I did yesterday," Dick said with a grimace.

"That's good to hear. You gave us a scare," Duncan said. "I don't think our world would be the same without you in it. You got to take care of yourself, dude."

"Yeah, I know. The nurse said the doctor should be here soon to give me the run down," Dick said.

They chatted for about ten minutes. Then another visitor appeared; it was Dick's dad.

"I got here as soon as I could. Are you okay?" Dick Sr. asked, looking worried.

Dick hadn't ever seen his dad look worried. He wasn't sure how he felt about that. "I'm okay," Dick said. "It was a bit hellish yesterday, though."

"Mac told me. I talked to your nurse. She said the doctor would be here soon," Dick Sr. said. He finally noticed Duncan and smiled. "Good to see you, Duncan. How are your parents?"

"Fine, sir. You remember my daughter?"

Dick Sr. smiled down at the little blonde angel next to his son. "Of course. Who else could it be?"

"Hi," Lily said, smiling charmingly. "You're Dick's daddy?"

"Yes, I am," Dick Sr. said.

"Where's his mommy?" she asked. She looked at Dick. "Do you not have a mommy, too? Is she in heaven with my mommy? My mommy's an angel." She said the statement with pride.

Dick couldn't remember the last time he'd want to cry and yell at the same time. He wanted to cry for his favorite girl who would never know the real angel who had been her mother. Meg Manning had been hands down the nicest girl on the planet. She had never made Dick feel stupid and had always been kind to Cassidy. If there was a heaven, Dick couldn't imagine anyone who deserved to be there more than she did. But it pissed him off that his own bitch of a mother would make Lily think she was dead. "I have a mom, but she's nowhere near as good a mom as yours. She lives far, far away."

"I called and told her. She wants me to call her after I talk to the doctor," Dick Sr. said. "You should call her and let her know you're okay."

"Yeah, I'll get right on that," Dick said with heavy sarcasm. He wasn't wasting any time or energy on his mother. Been there, done with that.

"Well, Lily and I need to go. Let us know when you find out when you can go home. I hope it's today," Duncan said.

"Me, too. I'm sure someone will let you know. I don't even know where my phone is!" Dick said with a grin. Duncan came over to the bedside and picked his daughter up.

"By Dickie. I hope you feel better," Lily said sweetly. She blew him a kiss.

He pretended to catch it, and she giggled. When they left, his dad said, "I hope you give me a granddaughter just like her someday."

Dick grinned widely. "Well, I think any daughter Mac and I have will be less obsessed with shopping and clothes than Lily. She'll use a lot of big words and be wicked smart like her mother," Dick said. He'd pictured it many times. His daughter would be blonde like Lily but have Mac's eyes and probably her wisdom, but she'd love the beach and surfing like him. He just knew it. Sometimes, he thought it wasn't his imagination but that he could actually see her. She was that real to him. He'd said it to Mac like he was joking once, but not even she knew how serious he'd been. Mac was in no hurry to be a mom, so Dick wouldn't be either. But it would happen. He just knew it.

They talked for several minutes. His dad told him about his latest deal. Dick told him about Trina wanting to open an office in New York that she'd run. Dick didn't like hearing his dad's opinion that it made good business sense. He didn't think the bottom line was always the most important thing. Luckily, the doctor came in ending that particular discussion.

"So when can I go home?" Dick asked after he introduced himself.

"Tomorrow. We'd like to monitor you one more day. A cardiac episode in someone your age is always a serious thing. You should be on regular medicine that should help prevent this from ever occurring," the doctor said. "If you follow my advice, you should be fine."

"So what exactly is wrong with him?" Dick Sr. asked.

Dick only half listened as the doctor explained basically what Mac had already told him. He only tuned in when the doctor said he needed to eliminate stress from his life and curb any excessive physical activity.

"What?" Dick asked in alarm. "What do you mean?"

"It wouldn't be a good idea to play any organized sports," the doctor said.

Dick felt relieved. "Okay. That's fine. I'm not on the basketball team. I had a short tenure as a mascot, but that's it. Occasionally I play a pick-up game of basketball with some friends," he said.

"Well, that'd be okay as long as you didn't play too long and stop when you noticed a shortness of breath. That is usually a symptom of a cardiac episode," the doctor said.

"Okay. I can do that," Dick said.

"What about surfing? My son loves to surf," Dick Sr. said. "You were surfing when this happened Mac said."

The doctor frowned in contemplation. "Surfing and swimming require a lot of physical exertion," he said. "It would never be wise to do it alone or for long periods of time. You need to pay attention to your body."

The doctor spoke a little longer, but his words didn't penetrate. Dick couldn't focus on anything the doctor was saying. He couldn't surf whenever he wanted? How was that possible? He needed a babysitter? This was misery of epic proportions.

His dad thanked the doctor before he left. Dick didn't say anything. He couldn't—he was numb.

"Well, I guess it could be worse," his dad said.

Dick looked at him in amazement. "Are you f***ing kidding me? How could it be worse? I can't surf!" he exclaimed.

"He didn't say that. He just said you had to be careful. Surfing alone is never a good idea even with a perfectly healthy person anyway. There are way too many things that could go wrong when you're surfing," his dad said. "Taking some pills isn't so bad."

Dick grimaced. He didn't like pills, but he figured it was better than getting shots or something else truly awful. "So Mac said this was a family thing. Do you have this? Mom? Does anyone in our family?" Dick asked.

His dad was silent a long time. Finally, his dad spoke. "No, I don't have it. I never thought you would get it," he admitted, a guilty expression on his face as he met Dick's eyes. "I had an older brother once who had it."

Dick's mind was reeling. "What the hell? You had a brother? One you've never mentioned before? Seriously, dude?" His whole life he'd been told his dad was an only child. His mom had one brother, his Uncle Shane. There had been no whisper of any brother.

Dick Sr. nodded. "His name was Robert Cassidy. Your brother was named after him," he revealed. "He was several years older than me. He died when he was sixteen. I was just eight."

Dick was so surprised at his father's words he didn't speak for several minutes. Finally, he said, "What happened? Did he die of a heart attack?"

His dad nodded, looking sadder than Dick had seen him in a long time. He'd worn that expression only once before. The day he returned home and tried to explain why he missed Cassidy's funeral.

"Yes. He was a star quarterback, and he was playing in the state championship semi-finals. We were there with our parents," Dick Sr. said. "I was so excited. He was so amazing—a real larger than life figure. You never saw him in a bad mood. Everyone loved him. You remind me of him sometimes."

"Why didn't you ever mention him to me? Why isn't there any photos? That's really f***ed up, Dad," Dick said, not understanding his father. How could he have an uncle he didn't know about?

His dad shrugged. "My parents, your grandparents, were so crushed after he died. Their marriage didn't survive his death. Dad went through one woman after another. Mom hoarded all the photos, and since I spent most of my time with my dad, it just seemed easier to forget. I pretended I did. But you never forget your hero. He was mine. He was alive and healthy and so amazing. Then he was gone," his dad said. "I'm sorry. It just hurts to think about him. I felt guilty when I was older for forgetting him. But it seemed easier to not think about him. It didn't hurt so much. Finally, he was like this dream I had. I didn't even know until I was an adult exactly what had caused his heart to give. After you were born, in fact, my dad mentioned it. He told me to make sure I checked you out when you hit puberty."

Dick's head hurt from all the revelation. He didn't know what to think or what to feel. Not about this new disturbing family secret. Not about his new health reality. He didn't understand why his dad had never shared such vital information. He didn't know how he was supposed to process all this. But one thing he had to know. "If you knew there was a chance that me or Beav could have developed this, why the hell didn't you say something? Get our hearts checked?" he demanded.

"I did. Once you both hit puberty, I had you get a complete physical. Don't you remember?" his dad reminded him.

"That was like nine years ago, Dad. You should've told me!" Dick accused, disgusted with all the secrets. Secrets never did anyone any good. They'd destroyed his brother. They'd hurt Mac. Logan was destroyed by too many from his parents and Lilly Kane. Why couldn't anyone ever tell the damn truth? Why couldn't anyone ever be who you thought they were?

Suddenly, Dick was so very tired. His anger at his dad melted away. He needed to rest. Maybe when he woke up the world would make sense again.

******Chapter End******